1 Prospect the Panthers Would 'Love' To Be Able to Draft in 2026

If this offensive weapon falls to 19, the Carolina Panthers should waste no time turning in the card.

Oct 18, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) warms up before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

There are a handful of different avenues the Carolina Panthers can take with the 19th overall pick in next month's NFL Draft, and one of them would be to give Bryce Young even more help.

Tight end has been a glaring weakness of this offense since the day Greg Olsen walked out the door. It hasn't mattered who the GM, head coach, or quarterback has been; the tight end has essentially been a non-factor in the passing game since 2019. That can change if everything falls in place for them next month.

NFL.com's Chad Reuter recently mocked Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq to the Panthers, a guy everyone in the Carolinas is hoping stays on the board long enough for Dan Morgan to select.

"Sadiq proved his plus athleticism at the combine (4.39-second 40-yard dash, 43 1/2-inch vertical leap, 11-foot-1 broad jump), so he could be selected earlier than this. Carolina would love to see him available here to join reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year."

How Sadiq would benefit Bryce Young in a big way

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) runs against Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Isaiah Jones (46)during the first quarter of the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Right now, the Panthers have a lot of the same body types at wide receiver. Big, long, possession-type receivers. They don't really have a flat-out burner who can carve things up in the underneath or intermediate game, generating explosive plays.

Having a tight end that can be that security blanket is one thing, but Sadiq is not your typical tight end. He can be that missing piece who can just flat out run, too. At the NFL Combine last month, he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash, marking the fastest time for any player who weighs at least 240 pounds.

What drafting Sadiq would mean for the other tight ends

Dec 21, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (0) runs on to the field before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Mitchell Evans is a young guy the Panthers like, and he's only entering the second year of his career, so he's not going anywhere. In my opinion, this will impact Ja'Tavion Sanders the most. They drafted him a couple of years ago in hopes of him becoming that dynamic threat over the middle, and to this point, that hasn't really materialized. It's still a possibility, and it's too early to write him off, but drafting Sadiq would reveal a lot about what the organization thinks it will get out of him in the future.

Although I'm still in shock that Tommy Tremble is still a part of this team, the addition of Sadiq wouldn't change much for him. He's their best blocking tight end, and that's the role he wants to excel in.